Shrimp Spring Rolls with Peanut Dipping Sauce

Serves 8
Notes: Because the rice paper is very fragile, make sure to buy extra to work with. To save time use pre-packaged julienne vegetables. Spring rolls can be made up to three hours before serving.
Ingredients:
For the peanut dipping sauce:
2 Tbs. minced fresh ginger
1/4 cup hot water
1/2 cup peanut butter
2 Tbs. soy sauce
4 Tbs. rice vinegar
2 Tbs. sweet white miso
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
For spring rolls:
3 oz. bean thread noodles, cooked and drained
1 cup finely shredded cabbage
1/3 cup grated carrot
1/4 cup sliced green onion
1/4 cup sesame seeds, toasted
16 cilantro leaves, whole
16 mint leaves, whole
1 lb. shrimp, cooked, peeled and split in half lengthwise
sixteen 6-inch round sheets rice paper
Instructions:
- To make the dipping sauce, combine first six ingredients in a small bowl and season to taste with red pepper flakes. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine bean thread noodles, cabbage, carrot, green onion and sesame seeds. Place cilantro, mint and shrimp in separate work bowls nearby.
- To soften rice paper, fill a pie plate or shallow baking dish with tepid water. Place two or three rice paper sheets in water and soak about 45 seconds to one minute. Remove one at a time and carefully stack between sheets of paper towel. Continue soaking and draining until you have 16 softened rice sheets.
- Turn over stack and begin working from bottom of stack first. Place a softened rice paper sheet on a clean work surface.
- On the bottom third of sheet, pile 1/4 cup noodle mixture.
- Just above noodles, place a shrimp half skin-side down and top with a cilantro leaf and mint leaf.
- Fold bottom of paper over noodle mixture, then fold each side toward the center, rolling gently and as tightly as possible from the bottom until completely rolled.
- Place rolls seam-side down on a place and continue until all ingredients have been used.
- Keep assembled rolls under wet paper towels covered with plastic wrap. Store at room temperature up to three hours; do not refrigerate.